Second-Ranked Texas A&M Shuts Down Kansas 8-0

April 13, 2012

Final Stats

Texas A&M 8, Kansas 0 Hoglund Ballpark//Lawrence, Kan.

Junior Kevin Kuntz holds the ball as he chases a base runner down in the fourth inning of the loss to Texas A&M Friday. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R TAMU 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 4 0 8 KU 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Box Score (.pdf) Leaders – Batting Kansas AB R H RBI BB HR T. Tharp 4 0 2 0 0 0 J. Marasco 3 0 1 0 0 0 Texas A&M AB R H RBI BB HR K. Bratsen 5 2 2 0 0 0 M. Reynolds 5 1 1 3 0 1 Pitching Kansas IP H R ER BB SO F. Duncan (L) 7.1 8 7 4 1 6 J. Jakubov 0.2 3 1 0 0 0 C. Toalson 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 Notre Dame IP H R ER BB SO M. Wacha (W) 9.0 4 0 0 0 6

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Texas A&M pitcher Michael Wacha held Kansas to just four hits and pitched a complete game shutout as the second-ranked Aggies downed Kansas, 8-0, in a Big 12 game Friday night at Hoglund Ballpark.

With the loss, Kansas fell to 12-22 overall and 2-8 in conference play, while the Aggies improved to 27-7 and 8-2 in the Big 12.

Sophomore Tucker Tharp led the Jayhawk offense with a pair of hits, while James Stanfield and Jake Marasco also singled early in the game.

Kansas starting pitcher Frank Duncan matched Wacha early in the game, retiring the first 10 men he faced, before a Krey Bratson single with one out in the fourth. Duncan ended the game allowing just four earned runs on seven hits over 7 1/3 innings with one walk and six strikeouts.

Wacha went nine complete, becoming the first pitcher to toss a complete game shutout against the Jayhawks since 2007, and recorded six strikeouts. The four base hits Kansas collected were the only four base runners he allowed.

Following Bratsen’s base hit, the Aggies collected back-to-back singles to give the Aggies an early 1-0 lead.

Texas A&M would add to that margin the following frame on a three-run homer by shortstop Mikey Reynolds. A leadoff single and then an error on a potential double play ball set the stage for Reynold’s three-run shot and A&M’s 4-0 cushion after four.

TAMU tacked on its final four-runs in the top of the eighth, aided by three hits and three KU errors, which made the score 8-0. The Jayhawks had a season-high four miscues during the contest.

Wacha made sure his run support would hold up as he retired 15 in a row before a one-out single by Tharp in the ninth inning.

Both teams will be back at Hoglund Ballpark tomorrow afternoon. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.